The Family
William Nassau Holmes,
Born 1860 at Ballybay, Co. Monaghan Ireland. Educated at Trinity College, Dublin and attended Walkers Military Academy.
He travelled from Ireland with cousin William Donaldson to reunite with his family in Tasmania.


He being the eldest son, assisted in the building of Dilkhoosa.
William married Lilla Thorne of Bally Park, Carlton in 1889. He was a Headmaster and teacher for 40 years with the Tasmanian Education Department and was the father of Edith Holmes, a well known Tasmanian artist.
The writer of several family historical documents.

Jane Maria Holmes,
 Born 1863 at Portsmouth, England. Jane became a school teacher for the Tasmanian Education Department and taught at Falmouth and German Town in Tasmania's northeast also at Hamilton in Southern Tasmania.

She married Frans Victor Heldstroom of Finnish descent and they lived in Oakleigh, Victoria.

Georgina Alicia Holmes,
Born 1864 at Aldershot, England. She was the second daughter and third child born.
Georgina died in Simla, India at the age of 14 years about the time her father was engaged in the Afghan wars.
It is not known how she died.

A photograph has been taken of her grave at Bemloe Cemetery.

Henry Bentley Holmes,
Born 1866, at the Curragh Military Camp, near Kilcullen, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
He was educated at Bishop Cottons school at Simla in India.


Assisted in building Dilkhoosa and was the ‘farmer’ who ploughed the paddocks and ran the dairy.
An excellent tennis player and represented Tasmania at Rifle shooting in 1899.
Henry never married but died in Launceston after his retirement from farming.

Richard Erasmus Holmes,
Born 1868 at Calcutta, India.
Educated at Regimental schools also Bishop Cottons school in India.

He was appointed a teacher for the Tasmanian Education Department in 1889.
Richard went to the Coolgardie fields in 1896 with cousin George Petro.
They both contracted typhoid fever and George died and is buried at Coolgardie.
Richard returned to Tasmania and continued teaching.
He married Emma M Oldaker of Devonport and continued teaching until he moved with his family to live in Victoria.
Richard was freemason and a keen tennis player.